This collection of Discussion Documents and Papers are my collated key writings over the last few years.
I've tried to make them all 'easy reading' but for a few this isn't possible.
Should anything be unclear then feel free to email me with any questions.
Please note I’ve most likely moved my thinking on past what’s written here and only occasionally rewrite these items.
This is a repository remember.

(21) An Approach to Project Sizing and Complexity
When estimating the effort and duration of a testing effort, there is a need to have a defined model that produces meaningful schedules.
In this paper we explore an approach that factors in complexity and factors in story points.
Read the paper

(20) FX Domain Kickstart for Testers
Many testers would like a straightforward introduction to the FX domain, yet learning it can be a complex where-to-start affair.
In usual style I convinced a colleague into co-authoring a paper, then distilling it down to the simplest level we could get away with. FX, MM, Spot, Forward, Tenor, Counter Currency, ... enjoy!
Read the paper

(19) Going Agile UKTMF Presentation
So many times we hear about teams who are 'going agile', yet what does it mean in terms of change? How different will
the testing team and function be? In this presentation I talk about some key aspects of what we do now and show how they're not so far off their agile conterparts.
Read the paper

(18) Specification by Example - An Experience Report
Specification by Example is a way for agile developement teams (Dev, Test, BA, PM, etc) to communicate in a simplified and efficienent way.
The approach answers many questions that teams using agile are struggling to answer. For testers it's the solution to how we work on agile projects.
There's also a video of me presenting on this paper at the Agile UK Testing User Group in London.
Read the paper

(17) An Introduction to Behaviour Driven Testing
Getting into Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) I started to see that the 'testers' perspective wasn't as prominent as I felt it should be.
Speaking to various people about the tester's role in a BDD environment, I drew up some notes about what we do and what BDD means to us in terms of process and practice.
This presentation captures that thinking, I've called it Behaviour Driven Testing (BDT) to just make it clear this is different from writing code (Development).
Read the paper

(16) A Quick Introduction to SCRUM
The SCRUM agile project management approach is a well proven way to enhance how software development projects are managed.
This brief presentation introduces the basic model and key aspects that make up the approach.
View the Presentation

(15) Elaboration of Scrum Burndown Charts
Scrum charts are great, a simple tool to provide an at-a-glance view of where delivery is at. One thing I've always felt is missing was
an equally simple way to interpret when the meandering line of delivery is wandering a bit too far. But not just because someone feels it's wandered too much, but because we know it has.
Then I remembered SPC Control Charts and thought about how they might have something to enhance the Burndown Chart.
Read the paper

(14) Time Spend Analysis
Are the Testing team spending their time in the correct way and on the correct core tasks? How about the Test Manager?
Often it isn't clear that the team aren't 100% available to testing or that the Test Manager may not be testing as much as the business imagines.
Read the results of this interesting and informative study - tracking activity every 15 minutes, for 6 weeks across two Test Teams.
Read the paper

(13) Issue Response Considerations
Over at the QA & QC Google Group we had an interesting discussion about development responses to bug records raised by the Test Engineer.
This latest paper collates the thinking across the group and provides some great ideas on the topic.
Read the paper

(12) Software Test Metrics
Measures and Metrics are vital to ensure we understand the status of the testing activities. In this paper I discuss a basic set of
measures and metrics and how they can be used to make release decisions against agreed standards.
Read the paper

(11) Measuring Quality
In this paper I discuss a way to combine quality focused techniques such as Control Charts, Control Limits, Reduced Inspection and Sampling to the test function.
The paper introduces seven quality concepts not usually seen within a software test environment and demonstrates one way Quality and Testing can be combined.
Read the paper

(10) ITIL Based QA CM Presentation
This brief presentation provides some key talking points around the introduction of Test Configuration Management into QA.
Read this presentation in conjunction with the "ITIL Based Test Configuration Management" and "Configuring Test Environments" presentations.
View the presentation

(9) ITIL Based Test Configuration Management Updated
Within ITIL there is a component that describes the management of hardware and software that make up the IT Infrastructure.
Within ISO there is a need to control test and measurement hardware and software. In this paper I discuss a way to marry this component of the
two models in a single approach.
Read the paper

(8) Rough Guide to the Cost of Quality
The Cost of Quality is often referred to as the “cost of doing things wrong”.
Every time a business makes a mistake it costs money to make the mistake and then correct it.
In his book, Quality is Free, Philip Crosby outlined a model for addressing the Cost of Quality.
Dorian Shainin's Design of Experiments, described by Keki Bhote in his own book, World Class Quality,
gave some more methods of attack. But what are the fundamental principles being discussed?

I'm proud to share a Cost of Quality Analysis paper that discusses how a software house could be wasting millions.
The example is based on publicly available figures for EA Inc, I did a similar piece of analysis for AOL (UK) Ltd
and the story was very similar.
Read the paper

(7) Testing Software Security
Software security is an emergent quality of the software and it starts at the
design phase with security specific requirements being captured for the product or system.
Testing for vulnerabilities in both the software and its related infrastructure requires
a different approach to that which would usually be applied for more traditional testing.
Read the paper

(6) Configuring Test Environments
In this brief paper I talk about the thinking behind the need to understand your software test environment.
Ensuring that you know what it is your testing on, the need to make them relevant to your customer and how that leads
to a more realistic approach to the total configurations software is tested against.
Read the associated discussion on ITIL Based Test Configuration Management.
Read the paper

(5) Documentation Model
It's often assumed a formal approach to documentation will be a great burden, difficult to define and implement and of course restrict creative freedom.
In just two pages I outline a way to structure formal process related documents and identify them, in a way that can apply to the Test team or the entire business.
Read the paper to learn how adopting an approach like this actually help makes things clearer for everyone, improving the effectiveness and allowing people to find information they need when they need it.
Read the paper

(4) Quality System Implementation
Here I present a worked example based on a client request for a limited scope trial of a Quality Management System. It describes the review done with the client, the considerations around what would be delivered and a summary of the final work pieces.
Read the paper

(3) Cross Team Process Synergy
We all know it would be good to work together in some harmonious way but it can often be difficult to articulate the obvious benefits.
In this brief paper I touch on some of the logic behind implementing common processes and approaches seen in a Quality Management System.
Read the paper

(2) Developing the Team
If a Test Team I'm asked to set up is within a corporate environment without an effective Appraisal programme the team is cut no slack.
As part of a wider approach to Team Mentoring I immediately get appraisal goals and review cycles set up.
Demonstrating measurable value from early on is a hallmark of my general managerial approach.
Read the paper

(1) Notes for Emerging Leaders
As we gain experience in our professional careers we learn many valuable lessons and as managers sharing those lessons to
junior staff in the business is vital. One of the pieces I use in support of succession planning is the
Notes for Emerging Leaders paper.
Read the paper